Frustrated Falkirk high flats residents: 'Give us a lift'

The lifts in Breton Court, Falkirk, ceased operating on Friday, April 15 and were still not working as of Tuesday, April 19.

Not only have the lifts been offline at Breton Court, but apparently the phone number to report faults has also been down.

An angry tenant said: “The Falkirk Council emergency contact number for council residents with repair or service issues has been unavailable since Friday last week.

Both of the lifts installed last year in Breton Court failed and no one could be contacted in the council due to this phone failure.

"A resident fell and had to try and climb eight floors back to their property, while others who suffer with asthma had to try and climb further upstairs to their homes. Many rely on the lift and have walking disabilities.

“The main phone number to call to report issues says ‘due to an emergency there us no one able to take your call’. Both lifts have both been out for over four days now – delivery drivers are having to walk up 14 floors to deliver shopping to people.

“I contacted Police Scotland to tray and deal with the issue – because it is an emergency. They suggested trying to e-mail the council, which I have done, asking that

someone at least let me know they are aware of the issue."

Council staff attended Breton Court on Tuesday trying to deal with the issue.

Another resident said: “When Falkirk Council set the lifts in the high rise flats to service every level, it made a major difference to those living in these blocks. It does not help though when both lifts fail at the same time, as has been the case since Friday.

"One lift was off for the whole time, while the other was off all this time except for Saturday when it was off more times than on. A call to Falkirk Council has taken up to 30 minutes on occasion.

"When a tenant finally did get through, she was supposedly advised the fact the lifts were not working was not an emergency – even though she explained to the council operator this meant the older people could not be expected to climb as many as 196 stairs to get their flat.

"Those locked in, with appointments for doctors, weddings, or funerals, would have to miss them. The council employee told her it was a holiday weekend but they

would try to get some help.”

Falkirk Council stated the lifts – which they said were only out of action from Sunday – and were now fixed.

A council spokesman said: “Unfortunately, both lifts at Breton Court were out of service from Sunday until Tuesday because of problems with the software and no engineer being available over the bank holiday weekend.

“We apologise to anyone affected by the disruption.”

Back in 2018 Falkirk Council outlined a plan which would see the area’s high flats – some as much as half-a-century old – have lifts which service every floor instead of just odd or even levels.

The council agreed to spend £1.2 million transforming the buildings’ lifts systems.